The Top 10 Best Killer Plant Movies
These Killer Plant Movies Prove You Should Eat Your Vegetables Before They Eat You!
It seems like killer animal movies get all the glory, but what about killer plant movies? Well, believe it or not, there are some films out there featuring sociopathic shrubs, sadistic spores, and murderous mold. That’s why I’ve decided to round up a list of the best killer plant movies. Now, I know that fungi belong to a different kingdom than plants, but for the sake of this list, I’ve decided to lump them all together and am prepared for Neil Degrasse Tyson to “Uh, actually me” on it. Still, good films featuring killer plants are pretty few and far between, so I’m also including films that feature memorable examples of viscous vegetation (though films that predominantly feature predatory plants will be ranked higher). So, grab some weedkiller and find a heroic botanist to get your back because this list is getting ready to bloom!
10. Swamp Thing
Let’s go ahead and squash the notion that all killer plant movies feature villainous vines. Swamp Thing recently returned to the spotlight with a short-lived series produced by DC live-streaming platform, but before that, there were two films featuring the conservation crusader (I’m still hoping Swamp Thing gets a chance to join the new DCEU in the future so he can really let loose on the big screen). Now, Swamp Thing is technically a hero, so you might be wondering what he’s doing on a list featuring killer plant movies? Well, he is a hero, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t take out his frustration on evildoers from time to time, and let’s just say not all of them live to see the inside of a prison cell. Don’t get used to it, because this is the only time on this list that you’ll see a homicidal herb on the side of good.
9. Day of the Triffids
When it comes to killer plant movies, you’ll find that a lot of the ferocious flora is not of this world. That’s right, most killer plants are extraterrestrial in nature and come on down to Earth for a little “all you can eat buffet” action. Day of the Triffids features the titular killer aliens trying to take over the planet (or just grab a bite to eat, it’s hard to determine their motivation). Triffids themselves are tall plants that are able to move around and communicate with one another. So, why not just let a team of elite landscapers take care of them? Well, they also have deadly stingers at the end of whip-like tentacles that they use to murder any animals or humans they come across so that they can eat them. Day of the Triffids was made in 1962 and “luckily” humans have developed the perfect counter-weapon since then called napalm.
8. The Evil Dead
There’s a lot of creepy stuff in Sam Rami’s Lovecraftian horror flick, The Evil Dead. However, it earns a place among these killer plant movies due to the viscous vines that have appeared in every incarnation of the original story (including the remake). It’s actually a pretty disturbing scene, since the vines are, well, they’re pretty intrusive in the worst possible ways (though I’ve heard that kind of thing is popular in Japan). It’s such an uncomfortable scene that even Rami himself has stated that he wishes he’d never shot it. It’s supposed to represent the impregnation of the character with the seed of evil, but it’s a bit tasteless with just how graphic it is. Fortunately, the remake toned it down a bit. Still, when it comes to killer plant movies, not many will leave you feeling quite as sick to your stomach as The Evil Dead.
7. Poltergeist
Poor Robbie Freeling. As if dealing with a haunted house and an insanely creepy clown doll wasn’t enough, he’s got an evil tree right outside his bedroom window too. Poltergeist earns a respectable spot on this list of killer plant movies because of that terrifying scene where the tree rips Robbie out of his bed and tries to literally eat him. However, it’ll never reach a top 5 spot since said tree doesn’t really play a big part in the film other than for a few minutes in the third act. Still, Poltergeist is such an incredibly well-made movie that made me distrustful of trees for weeks after seeing it. Still, the fact is that this evil tree never managed to actually kill anyone, so it’s more of an attempted-killer plant. Maybe it should have taken a few lessons from its British cousin, the Whomping Willow.
6. The Ruins
Look, not all killer plant movies are “good” in the traditional sense. However, I would argue that The Ruins is a pretty underrated film, all things considered. Set in Mexico, it follows a group of white-privilege gringos who decide to go messing around in an abandoned pyramid. This is, of course, in spite of several locals warning them not to go. Once they reach the top, they slowly learn why they were warned to stay away as the vines covering the pyramid soon reveal their taste for human flesh. When they try to escape, the locals refuse to let them leave out of fear of them unknowingly spreading the deadly vines into the jungle. Even though it’s absolutely absurd, The Ruins features some spine chilling moments that will make you sleep with a weed wacker under your pillow.
5. Flora
Anyone with allergies will understand the horror of the next entry on this list of killer plant movies. Set in the 1920s, Flora follows a group of college researchers accompanying their professor on a study of plants in a forest. Of course, something isn’t quite right about the forest that they ventured into and soon some of them start to get sick and act strangely. It turns out that the plants aren’t exactly thrilled to have a bunch of people tromping around and are unleashed toxic pollen that kills any creature that breathes it in. By the time they figure out what’s going on, the damage has already been done. Their food, clothing, and even the air itself has suddenly become toxic, and they have to find some way to escape before it’s too late.